Nowra High School students experience Safe Driving Techniques at Marulan Driver Training

SKYDS (Skilled or Killed Young Drivers Safety) is a safe-driver education program delivered to local school students in grades 10 -12 in the Shoalhaven.

The program provides valuable driver education and allows students the opportunity to gain hands-on advanced driving skills.

The SKYDS program was nominated for an Australian Road Safety Award in both the School Programs and Local Government Initiative categories.

Shoalhaven City Council Road Safety Officer, Kathy Wiseham said “Council currently has three separate SKYDS programs which target Year 10 pre drivers, Year 11 drivers who have just attained their L plates and SKYDS Beyond which focuses on P Plate drivers.”

SKYDS Beyond provides P Plate students an opportunity to learn a host of safe driving techniques while experiencing and advanced driver training session at Marulan Driver Training Centre.

“Offered over three years, the SKYDS course allows students to revisit previous road safety messages and can be a timely reminder of the consequences of their actions the older they get.”

Shoalhaven City Council also provide free advanced driver training for local residents aged between 17-25 years of age.

The courses are being held as part of the ongoing Skilled or Killed Young Drivers Safety Drivers (SKYDS) program funded by the IMB Community Foundation.

The advanced driver training provides participants with hands on driving experience through a number of different scenarios including sudden braking, swerving, skidding and lane changing activities at Marulan Driver Training Centre.

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor, Paul Green said the SKYDS program provided the area’s younger drivers with invaluable experience in dealing with a number of different potentially threatening situations.

“Young drivers in the 17-25 years age bracket are over-represented in serious crash statistics,” said Clr Green.

“The SKYDS program is a fantastic community initiative designed to better educate these drivers about the vital importance of road safety.  Presenting young drivers with hands on driving experience through a number of different training scenarios, the SKYDS program provides participants with confidence behind the wheel while also educating them to the dangers of negligent driving”.